52 Days of Prayer

After months of anticipation, our EnVision remodel is underway. The first demolition crew arrived on August 30 and work has begun. As they say in construction (I’m learning new things all the time), now the fun begins!

Dan Hettinger, who directs our congregational care at Mountainview, sent out the following email to our prayer team. I’m passing it along so you can join us in praying for God’s kingdom to be expanded through these efforts.

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52 Days of Prayer for the EnVision Construction

Good afternoon!

Today is Day 1.

It feels different here at church. There are new faces of the construction crew and the downstairs is an exciting mess getting ready for an amazing transformation.

Would you, as a member of the prayer team, commit to pray every day for our church during this construction project, starting today?

Nehemiah led one of the most remarkable construction projects ever. He began with ruins, worked with refugees and experienced conflict from within and without. But to the glory of God and the benefit of His people, he accomplished it in record time–52 Days.

God does not waste words in Scripture. I don’t claim to totally understand why it was recorded as accomplished in 52 days, but, I believe it means more than the time it took to get it done. It signifies God’s involvement with man’s work to produce accelerated achievement. 40 is a Biblical number for preparation and purification and 12 is the number for the chosen, set-apart and established of God. 40 + 12 = 52. And there are 7, 52’s in a year. We know 7 is the number of perfection. It is God’s number. There is meaning within the # 52.

So will you commit to praying with me for our church for 52 days, beginning today. We won’t be connected by meetings or books but by our commitment to pray during these 52 days. I am going to fast something during these 52 days. If you give up something during this time it will help us stay focused and connected as a prayer team, even if we don’t meet together or talk. We will be united in Spirit.

Pray for the project to help us achieve our 3 G Mission as a church, to increase our ability to spread God’s love and message and for our people to grow in their faith. Pray for safety. Pray for effective planning and clear communication. Pray for abundant resources to complete the project. Pray for whatever God lays on your heart.

And do you know what? This first phase of the project, now that the schedule has been established, is 52 DAYS.

That excites me. About 10 years ago, when I seriously considered that number, I began structuring my devotional Bible readings in periods of 52 days. During those seasons of 52 days, something special happened–accomplishment that was accelerated or achieved dramatically revealing God’s work.

As we commit to pray, our Prayer Team will be a powerful component to EnVision. Your prayers matter!